remember how i said that i kind of hit the grandpa lottery?

well turns out, i also hit the grandMA jackpot as well.

growing up, bams (what? you think for all of the abbreviations i have for things/people, i wouldn’t have one for my grandmother, too? yee of little faith) was never simply my momma’s momma. she was so much more than that. like a momma on steroids. or just like the title implies -a grandmomma.

and my oh my is my grandmomma ever grand.

i mean for starters, you guys, she reads my blog daily. DAILY. it just makes my heart swell with pride to think of her powering up the laptop to take in the daily musings on TJNT&RS.

also, i’m pretty sure she could name almost any and all ex-boyfriends, friends, acquaintances, and fortuitous starbucks run-ins that i’ve ever recounted to her during our weekly (sometimes bi-weekly) chats. her memory and overall sharpness astounds me, really.

then there’s the countless meals of tyson chicken nuggets, crinkle-cut fries, and bowls of ice cream she so lovingly prepared for me over the years and that arsenal of dress-up clothes and old barbie dolls she stowed away so that sistah and i would never be without entertainment.

she nursed me back to health during my bout of obligatory childhood chicken pox and simply laughed it off that one time i accidentally spilled the entire bottle of those little silver decorative balls all over the kitchen floor (i’m pretty sure she’s still finding them some 20 plus years later) as we were decorating one of a gazillion batches of homemade sugar cookies.

she was my best customer at my pretend restaurant where i was the only in-house waitress (i wore my mom’s old coco’s uniform and everything and i assure you, my service was impeccable) and she taught me that recycling can be a highly lucrative business as we often exchanged enough of grandpa’s old caffeine-free coke cans to warrant a celebratory visit to wendy’s.

because of her, i know the proper usage of “you and me” vs. “you and i” and that a hand-written thank you note will never go unappreciated.

because of her, i’m well-versed in state capitals (i had a map placemat), have mad cookie-decorating skills, and can hunt for an easter-egg or seashell with the best of them.

because of her, in all honesty, i am a lot of things. intangible things. things that are only by-products of a childhood ridden with the most amazing memories made at the most amazing of places.

grandma’s house.

today is her special day. the anniversary of when she arrived on this planet. and man oh man, am i ever glad this day occurred [blank] years ago. because it was the day that i received the most amazing gift. i received a woman that would eventually become the grandest of ma’s. a woman who is not only my grandmother but a most cherished friend.

so happy birthday, bams. thank you for everything.

i love you with all of my heart.

always,

your rose